Roberta Metsola for EU Romapress on the Danger of Brussels Becoming a Mini-Thuringia

For the first time, the President of the European Parliament gave an interview to a Roma media outlet. How should Ms Metsola’s answers be interpreted? Readers now have the opportunity to judge for themselves. High-ranking European officials increasingly rarely comment on the Roma issue because it is gradually giving way to other, more important priorities. The responsibility of Roma journalists, public figures and intellectuals, therefore, becomes even greater in the turbulent times in which we live.

O. Tahir: Dear Ms Metsola, how will you comment on the fact that in the new European Parliament there are no Roma representatives but the representatives of anti-Roma political forces are overrepresented?

R. Metsola: First of all, I want to emphasise that in our Europe, we value our differences, our unique traditions, cultures, and diversity. This is something that, as President of the European Parliament, I have always advocated for and will continue to do so. This means that the Roma people should have access to the same opportunities as any other European citizen. The EU has implemented measures in this regard. The EU Roma Strategic Framework, introduced in 2020, focuses on the diversity within the Roma community. It aims to create national strategies that address the specific needs of different groups in the Roma community. Here we need to intensify efforts together with Member States to ensure that these strategies also lead to awareness-raising and concrete results, including representation. However, ultimately, when it comes to elections, national political parties decide who is on the ballot and citizens choose their representatives.

O. Tahir: How will you comment on the fact that on the 80th anniversary of the Roma genocide, commemorated last August, a MEP who was convicted of hate speech against Roma by the Supreme Court of his home country, Slovakia, and expelled from the Slovak Parliament on that basis, is welcome in the European Parliament? Furthermore, do you have any data on how many of the newly elected MEPs have a history of extremism, neo-Nazism, Holocaust denial, and how many have been previously convicted on these grounds? Moreover, the convicted MEP Mazurek has brought as his assistant to Brussels another man who has been tried for extremism – Ján Pastuszek. According to the 2022 US State Department Report on International Religious Freedom in Slovakia, Jan Pastuszek was convicted by the Specialized Criminal Court in Banska Bystrica for selling t-shirts depicting the Slovak fascist state leader Jozef Tiso. However, since 2024 Mr Jan Pastuszek is already an assistant in the European Parliament. One of our readers asks: Is Brussels turning into a mini-Thuringia?

R. Metsola: Let me be clear, Parliament condemns racism or extremism of any kind. Our institution stands for integrity, transparency, and inclusivity. Every elected MEP is bound by a Code of Conduct as well as a Code of Appropriate behaviour and Members, including their staff, have to comply with these rules upon taking up office. Our guiding principles aim to help Members conduct their work with integrity, openness, diligence, honesty, accountability, as well as respect for the dignity and reputation of the European Parliament. The European Parliament takes these principles very seriously and, if necessary, takes appropriate action against any Member in breach of these rules.

O. Tahir: Ms Metsola, you have publicly expressed commitments to combat anti-Gypsyism and anti-Semitism, what do you intend to do about MEPs convicted for their anti-Roma views? Does the European Parliament have the mechanisms to deal with this problem, which will obviously grow in the coming years?

R. Metsola: The European Parliament has been working on Roma inclusion for nearly 30 years, and we remain committed to eradicating the poverty and discrimination that Roma people continue to face. We will keep striving to build a more equal and just society, where every Roma citizen within our Union’s borders enjoys the same rights, receives equal treatment, and has access to the same opportunities as any other European citizen. In this context, I would like to highlight the HERO project and the efforts of our MEPs to support Roma communities in Romania through housing and financial literacy programs.

To emphasize again, Parliament upholds a zero-tolerance policy toward anti-Semitism and all forms of racism. The Advisory Committee on the Conduct of Members provides guidance to our Members on implementing the Code of Conduct rules and assesses alleged violations. If a Member breaches these rules, I will act decisively based on the Committee’s recommendations.